Closure and applicator rod assembly



March 14, 5. MQRELAM; 2,344,471

CLOSURE AND APPLICATQR ROD ASSEMBLY Filed Oct. 7, 1941 INVENTOR 5. TfloRsLANB Patented Mar. 14, 1944 CLOSURE AND APPLICATOB, ROD ASSEMBLY Stephen T.

of Delaware Moreland, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Owens-Illinois Glass Company,

a corporation Application October 7, 1941, Serial No. 413,999

2 Claims. (c1.15 140.s)

My invention relates to improvements in container closures having an applicator rod attached thereto, to be used on containers for medicines, cosmetics or the like from which the contents are to be used in more or less small quantities.

At the present time, closures having applicator rods attached thereto, usually have the rod attached in arigid manner. When the closure is removed from the container, the applicator rod, which was partially submerged in the liquid contents of the container, is simultaneously with drawn and a portion ofthe contents of the container adheres to the lower end of the applicator rod.

In the instance where medicines such as mercurochrome, iodine, collodion or the like, are used, a small quantity of the liquid adheres to the lower end of the rod and is applied to the skin or cut of the user as needed. By having the rod rigidly fastened to the closure, the application of the medicine is sometimes very painful due to the persons inability to touch the surface of the skin lightly.

An object of my invention is to provide a closure with an applicator rod attached in such a manner that the rod is more or less a floating rod and therefore only the weight of the rod bears on the surface to which the medicine or the like is applied.

Another object is to provide a closure with an applicator rod round in cross section attached in a circular well of the closure in which the diameter of the rod is less than the internal diameter of the well, thus giving the rod free movement Within the attaching well.

Another object is to provide a closure with an applicator attached in a well of the closure, in which the upper end of the rod is upset or enlarged and is snapped over protuberances formed on the internal surface of the well, thus holding the applicator rod in place.

Another object is to provide a closure with an applicator rod, having an enlarged end, that is attached thereto in a depending well of the 010- sure, the well having internal protu'berances for-med short of the closed end of the well providing a space largerthan the enlarged end of the applicator rod, thus permitting axial movement of the rod.

Other objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In the drawing: 7

Fig, 1 is a vertical sectional View of the closure with the applicator rod attached.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the closure with the applicator rod shown in cross section.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View of the closure with the applicator rod shown in elevation and detached from the closure.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a modified form of the applicator rod.

Fig. 5 is a similar View of a further modified form.

I have shown a molded cap or closure it, formed of a material such as urea formaldehyde or the like, having internal threads ll formed therein to receive external threads formed on the neck of a container (not shown).

The cap has a depending skirt or vertical wall I2 and an outer or horizontal wall l3. Depending from the inner side of the horizontal wall I3 is an annular projection l4 concentric with the skirt 12, having a cavity or well l5 terminating in a bottom wall it. Formed internally of the wall of the cavity l5 and spaced a short distance from the bottom wall It, is a series of protuberances IT. I have shown four of these protuberances ll, but two or more will perform the same function.

The applicator rod l3 has an enlarged head I9 formed on the upper end thereof. the closure and the applicator rod together, the head I9 is placed in the cavity l5 of the projection l4 and the head of the rod is snapped past the protuberances ll. The proutberances then hold the rod from falling out of the cavity 5.

The outside diameter of the rod l8 isslightly less than the distance between diametrically opposed pairs of the protuberances l1 and the outside diameter of the head I9 is greater than the distance between said protuberances. The diameter of the'cavity 15 of the projection 14, is greater than the outside diameter of the head 19.

The protuberances ll formed in the cavity l5, are spaced from the bottom thereof a distance slightly greater than the vertical cross sectional dimension of the head it on the rod l3.

As may be readily seen in Fig. 1, the applicator rod I8 is very loosely mounted in the cavity l5. However, it is held therein in such a manner that it cannot become dislodged accidentally. As may be seen by the dash and dotted lines in Fig. 3, the rod I8 is free to move sideways when the applicator is used.

In applying the contents of a container to which the closure is applied, it may readily be seen that a very slight pressure is applied to the surface of the skin of the person to be treated. In the instance of an open cut, placing of the applicator In assembling rod in one end thereof and drawing the rod the length of the cut, the rod will follow the contour eration in the assembling of the cap and applica tor whether it be an automatic, or manual, op-' eration.

The lower head 20 also serves as a means to hold more liquid on the rod when said rod is re-l moved from the container. The hollow applicator also has a capillary action in applying the contents of the container. 7

Fig. 4 shows a modified form of applicator 2| having an enlarged head 22 formed at the top of the applicator while the lower end does not'have any enlargement. The head 22 is snapped into position in the well I 4 in the same manner in which the head I9 is inserted. The applicator 2| is tubular.

Fig. shows another modified form of applicator 23 having enlarged heads 24 formed on both ends thereof. However, the applicator 23 is a solid rod and the liquids of the container to which the closure is applied, may only adhere to the outside surface of the applicator. This does not have a capillary action as do the other forms of applicators.

Modifications may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of the appended claims,

claim:

said protuberances being spaced from the open end of the well and extending radially inward from the wall, and an applicator rod having a head at one end for reception in said well, said rod being of less diameter than the Well and said head being of slightly greater diameter than the distance between certain of the protuberances and less than the diameter of the well, said head also being of less axial length than the distance between the 'protuberances and bottom of the well.

2. The combination of a closure cap and an applicator rod, said cap including a vertical depending skirt to engage a neck of a container, a

horizontal wall at the upper end of said skirt, an annular projection internally of said horizontal wall providing a vertical cylindrical well, and a series of protuberances formed internally and radially of said Well and the applicator rod having an enlarged head at one end thereof, said head inserted in the well and beyond the protuberances, the head being adapted to rest upon the protuberances and being of less diameter than that of the well above the protuberances, and that portion of the rod within the well being of less diameter than the diameter of an imaginary circle contacting the innermost points of the series of protuberances.

STEPHEN T. MORELAND 

